This is my story - God rejoices over you
Wendy and her wife as they married in December 2014. Wendy first contributed to the Open Table Network blog in October 2022: Seen, known, loved: My life as a lesbian Christian.
‘This is my story’ is an occasional series of short devotions, based around the Bible, the experiences of Open Table members, reflection and prayer.
This month we hear from Wendy Young, who came out as a lesbian 30 years ago, yet only walked in her first Pride march just last month.
Reading:
‘The LORD your God is with you,
the Mighty Warrior who saves.
He will take great delight in you;
in his love he will no longer rebuke you,
but will rejoice over you with singing.’- Zephaniah 3:17 (NIV)
Reflection:
On Saturday, 19th August 2023, I walked in my first ever Pride march. I came out 30 years ago, but something always stopped me from taking part.
When I lived in big cities, my fear was of violence. When I lived rurally, my fear was of being ridiculed. When I was single, I felt too alone and, when I was in relationship, I felt that both of us had to want to do it, together or not at all.
There have been many such reasons, but on reading Roo’s devotion on Psalm 139, I realised I carried a lot of internalised homophobia. My very conservative, Calvinist upbringing in South Africa during apartheid had a lot to do with that. So did being told over and over that I had to choose a different path or I would go to hell.
But I know God. We are in relationship, in communion. I came to faith a few months before coming out. Since then, I have experienced the truth of Zephaniah 3:17 several times. God has rejoiced over me with singing. Most recently, I felt it as the song This is Me from The Greatest Showman blasted over the loudspeakers as we started our Pride march through town.
I welled up with happy tears. I felt joy and I felt God’s joy over me. And my wife of nine years was with me, waving a massive rainbow umbrella proudly above her head and wearing a t-shirt that said, ‘Free mum hugs’.
After the march, we helped at the LGBTQIA+ Christian stall and handed out stickers to strangers. No proselytising necessary: just a sticker saying, ‘God loves you’. It was a fantastic day.
Nothing can separate me from God’s love. In response, my aim is to show the same love to other people.
Reflect for a moment: what do you think God is singing over you? Can it easily be heard? Or does the volume need to be turned up?
Prayer:
Dear God who rejoices over me with singing,
please keep pouring love into me
so that I can share it with others.
Please remind us
through your Holy Spirit
that we are loved.
Thank you for this new pride I feel
in who you have made me to be.
This is me!
Amen.
Author:
Wendy Young moved to the UK in 2014 to marry her British wife. Wendy sings in the worship band at an affirming church and fancies writing her autobiography one day. She is studying towards Chartered Manager status and works in a small optical practice. She plays music most of all the hours of her life and has followed the Open Table Network for more than a year.
